Osama Bin-Laden hanged

[Hallo Alfie]

Received this warning from AFP.
I have no reason to believe it is not genuine.

[arthwollipot]

It's fake, and here's why.

#1: AFP does not issue warnings of this kind on their own letterhead.
#2: The phrase "It is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch which 'burns' the whole hard disc C of your computer." is very similar to known hoaxes
#3: The language in this phrase is extremely non-technical, betraying its origin with a writer who has no clue how computers work.
#4: The behaviour described is not the way genuine computer viruses operate.
#5: It asks that you send it to everyone in your contact list.
#6: It claims that reputable news organisations (CNN) and software companies (Microsoft) claim that this is "the worst virus ever".
#7: It claims that there is no known cure.

All these are diagnostic of a hoax. The last three in particular are gigantic red flags. If you ever receive a message claiming these three things, it is absolutely a hoax.

[Hallo Alfie]

It's fake, and here's why.

#1: AFP does not issue warnings of this kind on their own letterhead.
#2: The phrase "It is a virus that opens an Olympic Torch which 'burns' the whole hard disc C of your computer." is very similar to known hoaxes
#3: The language in this phrase is extremely non-technical, betraying its origin with a writer who has no clue how computers work.
#4: The behaviour described is not the way genuine computer viruses operate.
#5: It asks that you send it to everyone in your contact list.
#6: It claims that reputable news organisations (CNN) and software companies (Microsoft) claim that this is "the worst virus ever".
#7: It claims that there is no known cure.

All these are diagnostic of a hoax. The last three in particular are gigantic red flags. If you ever receive a message claiming these three things, it is absolutely a hoax.



Thanks.

I actually got it from what I would describe as a reputable source.
Tell me, is there actually any point to this sort of hoax?

I'm not that pc lit uc?

[MRC_Hans]

Here is another sure sign (always look for what they want you do):


If you receive a mail called 'invitation', though sent by a friend, do not open it and shut down your computer immediately.


They start by warning against an attachment named 'invitation', but suddenly, its the title.

If you don't upen it, why should you shut down your computer?

So what is the purpose? Well, a sort of practical joke, they wanr their victims to ingore some invitation from their friends, then just shut down their computer.

.... So what then? Buy new ine?

Hans

[Alan]

There's an article about this hoax from 2007.

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Home_Office/Security_And_Support/F5W3R8A4

[Dancing David]

Thanks.

I actually got it from what I would describe as a reputable source.
Tell me, is there actually any point to this sort of hoax?

I'm not that pc lit uc?

Get email addresses, potentially download malware, all sorts of reasons.

[Hallo Alfie]

Get email addresses, potentially download malware, all sorts of reasons.

Roger that
Thanks

[arthwollipot]

Some hoaxes seem to have no particular purpose other than to see how long they can be perpetuated. I'm sure that whoever started the hoax that Bill Gates will send people money for forwarding the message is tremendously pleased with himself.

[Wudang]

I've seen variants of this hoax since 1994.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Tell me, is there actually any point to this sort of hoax?

Quite frankly, it's to see how many gullible people they can get to pass it along.

[Hallo Alfie]

Quite frankly, it's to see how many gullible people they can get to pass it along.

Sure, kick me while I'm down

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Sure, kick me while I'm down

It's what I do.

[quarky]

I forget, is anyone still looking for Bin Laden? Haven't heard much about him in awhile, and not sure if Obama has brought it up.

[Hallo Alfie]

I forget, is anyone still looking for Bin Laden? Haven't heard much about him in awhile, and not sure if Obama has brought it up.

Aparently he's been hanged.

[quarky]

Oh.

(I thought he was hung.)

[Alan]

Oh.

(I thought he was hung.)
It's possible that you were both right. :)

[Vermonter]

Some people are just, quite simply, jerks.